I've Never...

Wanted something so bad in all my life.

5 4 Things On My Mind

1.  Lately, I have been full of gratitude when I think about my life. Things haven't gone how we had hoped and prayed they would (Shouldn't we be in Ethiopia right now?) But over and over again, God has continued to bless us by showing His faithfulness and love even in this season. And, while people have rallied for us in prayer and action (I had amazing friends helping with the yard sale fundraiser), I am always still in awe at how He moves through us to show love.


All that to say, several weeks ago I had been raving. And I mean Raving. About this coupon deal I wanted for an etsy store selling lockets. I have always loved the beauty and intimacy of lockets. In fact, my grandmother has passed down her mother's locket to me. It has a picture of my Great Grandmother and my Great Grandfather when they were very young. Mema said that her mother wore it around her neck while he was away in WWI. What a beautiful story, right?


So I really wanted one of these vintage lockets to put our referral picture in when we venture into the next season of waiting.


Imagine my disappointment when I logged in to the site 30 minutes after the sale started to find it Sold Out.


Are you kidding? In 30 minutes? At least, that was my sentiment on facebook 5 second later!


But once again God ---through His people--showered me with love. One of my adoptive momma friends messaged me this week with her voucher and a strict message that if I didn't use it, it would go to waste because she was giving it to me and therefore wouldn't be using it.  I wanted to pay her. I wanted to buy her a different voucher that she wanted. I wanted to do anything possible to repay the favor. Of course, she declined.


So I prayed that God would keep me sensitive to His spirit, so that I, too, could be the vessel He uses to shower someone else with love when they need it.

I can't wait to get it in...and even more so to have a picture to put in it! I chose this one for a couple of reasons. 1. It was vintage. Originally from the 1950s and then modernized with the resin and brass on the front (the back is beautiful, too) and for some reason I just kept coming back to the blue and yellow. These were my favorite colors in high school and college and virtually everything I owned was some variation of Blue. and. Yellow. So, it just seemed fitting to have it have another special meaning.


Thank you, adoptive momma friend, for your kindness and for letting God use you to love on me!

2.  I have had creative-block lately. I haven't felt extremely inspired and for some reason, not spending much time in front of the sewing machine (except for orders) even with a memory quilt needing to be finished.


So, the other day--when sorting laundry--I was quite surprised to find an old t-shirt (that i never wear) and have some inspiration rise up! I was even more excited when I finally decided  on what to do and executed this upcycle! I used 1/2 off coupons to buy the lace at Joann and the shirt was $3 at Wal-Mart on clearance (some time ago). Total cost? Under $10


In the end, I loved it...though I did learn some valuable lessons. I usually just pin and go but for something as light as lace, I would recommend using a fusible webbing along the stitch line (ONLY- you don't want your lace flattened) or a temporary adhesive to hold the lace in place. It's just too finicky for pinning  IMHO.  Next, I have some ideas of dying lace and doing some variations! =)

Pay no attention to the After Model. She was tired. and puffy. And wasn't wearing any make-up. Also she first tried the traditional "smile at the camera" pose but looked 4. This isn't much better but The Photographer was done helping.

3.. Steve Martin is Coming To My Town! I am so excited I might already be could jump up and down squealing!!


Here are my top 5 favorite things Steve Martin has ever done:
1. King Tut
2. Three Amigos
3. Two Wild and Crazy Guys
4. The Jerk
5. My Blue Heaven (This one doesn't make The Husband's list but I am my own person. So there.)

Recently, we went to see Martin Short live. Don't get me wrong, he was "funny enough" but every clip they showed supposed to be highlighting him, Steve Martin was funnier. We knew immediately it would have been better if we could have been watching Steve Martin. Fast forward to today! So exciting

Disclaimer: Apparently Steve Martin also has a banjo band. We are hopeful it isn't just the band...though I hear he is also an excellent banjo player...But come on Steve, people don't come to see you play the Banjo. They  come to see King Tut.

 

4. The Clover family is coming to see us this weekend. We {heart} them. Should be a great time!

That's all for now, folks! Don't forget to add your Words of Encouragement!

What would you say?

Lately, I have been thinking about how much easier it is for me to be positive and optimistic for others--Yet in my own situation, it's often  just gloom. And frustration And really big trees. All things that make my hike up Mt. Perspective seem insurmountable. Often times I get tired and just set-up camp somewhere between despair and frustration.

But bring me your identical situation? And I am full of sunshine and hope and your basic optimism that "This, too, shall pass".

I guess being outside of the forest makes it seem less overwhelming.

So, I started thinking?

I am really good at giving people optimism and perspective (or so I think...quite humbly obviously)...

Maybe you guys would be really good at it, too?

So, why not let you guys spread hope to each other (and me).

For The Husband and I, this has been Really Long. Really Difficult. season in our adoption journey (Have I mentioned there hasn't been a single referral this year, yet? Nope. Nada. Not one.) and sometimes you just need to be reminded that the sun still shines and that often, a little time and distance can give us perspective.

So, here is where I need your help. Give me quotes, scriptures, stories, slogans. Whatever floats your boat. Anything that has helped you through difficult situations and seasons. Words that you held close to your heart. Or just words that you think I should hold close to mine =)

I will compile all the quotes and stuff and add it as a page on that side

----------------------------------->

Then, we will all have a place to be given a little hope. A little optimism. And a little perspective.

Because sometimes? We just need help getting up Mt. Perspective.

(Source)

Left-handed: Sinistral (Latin).

Last night I was taken aback by a comment made by my Guitar 1 professor (yes, I am taking guitar lessons).


Here's how the story went:


Professor: "I'd like to make a commentary really quick about my view of left handed guitar players"


Class: (looks at me...the ONLY left-handed guitar player in the class)


Me: "Is it really a  commentary if you're only talking to me. You should just start the sentence with "Ashley, this is for you"".


Professor: " I think that left handed people should really try to play the way right-handed people play. They would be more naturally good at fretting whereas right-handed players have to learn to manipulate their fingers harder, it would be easier for left handed people".


Me: ""If that was sound logic, then you should be able to play my LEFT-HANDED guitar with great ease since you would be "manipulating" you right hand and that should be more "natural" for you.


Professor: Well, I just think it's easier for left-handed people to learn things right-handed. I have a daughter that was born left-handed and we really tried to force her to do things "normal".


Yes, normal. As in right-handed.


Me: (shocked at this point): Well, I was raised by Hippies who apparently were just crazy enough to. let me be. left. handed.






By the way, oh-so-brilliant-professor:


A study for the National Institute of Sports and Physical Education in Paris found that left-handers have faster eye-hand coordination with their right hand than even right-handers do.


A driving-school-commissioned study suggests that "left-handers have a natural advantage" when they get behind the wheel. The findings show that 57 percent of left-handers pass their driving tests on their first attempts, 10 percent more than right-handers.


Recent research has also found that left-handed people often perform better than right-handers at fast or difficult tasks involving lots of information or stimuli. According to these studies, port-siders show superiority in playing fast computer games, talking while driving in heavy traffic and flying jet fighters, activities that require both hemispheres of the brain to speedily process information.

(Source)

In addition, here are a list of guitar players who played left-handed quite successfully:


Sir Paul McCartney
Jimi Hendrix
Billy Ray Cyrus
Kurt Cobain
Mac Powell
Iggy Pop


And most recently, my favorite Voice contestant, Javier Colon.




So. There.

(Source)

A Letter To My Child: Lessons. [Long Overdue].

To my dearest one, my firstborn, my eldest,

Of all the lessons I want to be there for. Of all the things I don't want to miss in your life...One of the most important lessons, we are each learning separately, however completely intertwined with each other.

Patience.

I know every single day that I am walking it out. The funny thing is that as much as this season pains me, I know that you don't even know yet the lengths we are going to, just to bring you home.  Sometimes I imagine you years down the road, reading this and commenting about how patient you were being waiting for your mommy and daddy.

Yes, you are child. You are doing a great job being patient. I am certain that you are doing a much better job than we are. That's the beauty of not knowing what God has in store for you.

Change is hard, yes. It won't be easy for you when you become part of our family. We live really far away from Ethiopia, we speak a different language, and we don't cook injera very well [yet]. And I bet God will have to teach us all some pretty important lessons when we get to that point.... Once we're all together, finally making the family that God called together long. Long. Ago.

So, I suppose if I am going to do a good job learning those lessons, I had better get practice doing a good job with these.

But know that it hasn't been easy for us. We love you SO much, and knowing that an ocean continues to separate us just breaks your mommy's heart.

But we are going to be pros at learning lessons, aren't we?

I love you to the moon and back 

[or more literally: across the ocean and back],

Your Mom.


P.S. Your cousin Tank says hello. He thinks it will much more fun to visit us once you're here.

P.P.S. We're practicing on the injera. We know it's important =)